


Wish

by saisei



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, M/M, happy birthday noct
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saisei/pseuds/saisei
Summary: There were eighteen long candles on top of the cake, and Ignis dimmed the lights as he carried it to the table to set in front of Noct. He looked softer in the candlelight, sentimental and tired.Noct blew out the candles and wished as hard as he could that Ignis would just leave him alone.
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 19
Kudos: 93
Collections: FFXV Book Club Monthly Sprint Prompts





	Wish

When Noct was little, he used to make an official appearance with his father. They'd show up somewhere – a school, an orphanage, a hospital – and Noct would shake hands with all the kids and play games with them for a few hours. He'd present them with cake, baked by the Citadel staff, and on the way home in the car his father would tell him he was proud of him, as a prince and as his son.

Noct had a photo album, meticulously maintained by a series of anonymous PR people, with pictures from these parties. He had trouble now seeing them in anything but the most cynical light, a photo op, the king strategically allowing the public into the life of his family one day a year.

The last of these parties had been after Noct was attacked by the Marelith. He'd been in a wheelchair, and everything made him tired. They'd gone up to the children's ward of the hospital where the specialists who were treating Noct worked, so he'd known he should present the appearance of being well, or grateful, or at least normal. But he fell asleep before the cake was even served, and he slept all the way home.

Noct celebrated in private these days. His father always sent a card and a (tasteful, expensive) gift if they were unable to spend time together on the day. Gladio didn't make a fuss, just said _Happy birthday_ instead of _good morning_ , which was bearable. Noct and Prompto had a pact that they weren't allowed to spend money on gifts for each other, and the first year of high school he gave Noct a rock that he'd drawn a chocobo face on. Noct kept it on the shelf of his desk, and it always made him smile. The next year Prompto gave his rock a moogle friend.

Ignis was a problem, though. Ignis had gone from being Noct's fun childhood friend to someone who had an obsession with doing things the right way and keeping up appearances. He fussed at Noct over a broad spectrum of things from combing his hair to how he spoke to his father ( _the King_ , Ignis said) to correcting his speech to cleaning his apartment. And he didn't have the power to punish Noct, but he was really good at exuding disappointment.

Ignis was the sort of person who did birthdays like he was going down a checklist, and Noct... was just done with it all.

He came home from school to find all his rooms picked up and gleaming, with the fresh lemony smell of wood polish in the air. Ignis was in the kitchen, cooking Noct's favorite meal but still able to remind him to hang his uniform up in the closet and wash his hands before dinner. Noct put his new rock – a cactuar – with the others and tried not to be angry, or at least not let it show.

But while the food was perfect, Ignis fussed and made every bite stick in Noct's throat. He already felt raw and off-balance when Ignis cleared the table, and the cake was the tipping point. He could tell by looking that Ignis had spent hours making it himself, the fruit laid out in rings on the top not quite perfect. He'd have found it charming if he was in the mood to be charmed, but instead he was just, simply, finally done.

There were eighteen long candles on top of the cake, and Ignis dimmed the lights as he carried it to the table to set in front of Noct. He looked softer in the candlelight, sentimental and tired.

Noct blew out the candles and wished as hard as he could that Ignis would just leave him alone.

Instead, Ignis plucked the candles out and set them on a dish he'd brought over just for that purpose, and cut perfectly even slices from the cake.

Noct picked up his fork, and then set it down again. "Aren't you going to ask me what I wished?"

"It's not my place to intrude," Ignis said. He stirred cream into his coffee slowly, because of course he was too polite to eat his cake before Noct took his first bite.

The magenta haze of innate magic flashed over Noct's vision as his temper snapped. _Intrude this_, he thought, and told Ignis exactly what he'd asked the gods for.

Ignis went very still and pale, his gaze dropping to the table as he took a couple of steadying breaths, and Noct felt a sense of vicious pleasure. He wanted Ignis to break and yell at him, drop the mask and get in Noct's face, stop being fake for once.

But instead Ignis just stood up from the table, set his napkin down next to his plate, and walked out. Down the corridor, to the entrance, then out the front door, which shut with a quiet click behind him.

Noct felt robbed for a moment, and then queasy.

He imagined Ignis driving home with Noct's angry words in his head, not knowing what he'd done to deserve them but certain that he must have erred some way, grievously.

No elevator was faster than Noct could be when he called on magic; it was easy to warp down the side of the building in a handful of breaths. He got the guard on duty to open the front doors for him, and then clattered down the stairs to the parking garage.

The parking space reserved for Noct's apartment was close to the elevators and stairwell, so Noct looked there first, heart in his throat until he saw Ignis' car, sleek and polished, right where it should be. He let out a breath in relief – at least Ignis hadn't escaped before Noct could talk to him – but then realized that Ignis was already at the wheel. Or at least, in the driver's seat, but he was hunched forward with his head resting on his crossed wrists, hands clutching tight at the wheel.

Horror chilled Noct at the thought that he'd made Ignis cry, and even though he was sure Ignis would want privacy when he was vulnerable and hurt like this, he walked over to the car. Distracted or not, Ignis was dangerous, so Noct made sure his footsteps echoed, and he knocked on the passenger side window to get Ignis' attention.

Ignis didn't look up, but as Noct peered through the glass he saw him take a deep breath and sigh it out, before reaching down to the switch that unlocked the door.

Even if he hated Noct now, he still gave him a chance. Noct wasn't going to screw this up, he decided, and pulled the door open just enough for him to slide into the seat. When he closed the door Ignis locked the car again, but still didn't look up.

"I miss you," Noct blurted out. "Remember how we used to sneak into the library, or go up on the roof to look at stars? You used to tell me secrets. We were like this." He crossed his fingers, forgetting for a moment that Ignis wasn't looking at him. He started to lower his hand, and then decided to rest it against the back of Ignis' shoulder instead. He imagined he could feel heat radiating off Ignis, like a fever. "Now it's like you always wear a mask, pretending to be so grown up while I'm just a stupid kid. I hate it."

"I have to do my job," Ignis said, his voice muffled and strained.

Noct snatched his hand back as though he'd been burned, but just as quickly Ignis sat up, his own hand snapping out to catch Noct's, fingers curling down. Noct looked up at him, staring right into his red-rimmed eyes, and Ignis leaned forward as though he needed Noct to really, truly _listen_ to what he was saying.

"I have a duty," he said, voice low and fierce, as if angry at Noct for misunderstanding. "To the Crown, to Lucis. To the King, and to you. I serve, and if my service is acceptable, I am permitted to continue. If I were dismissed, I'd lose... everything. But by serving, I've lost you. Even though," his fingers spasmed for a moment, "I've been trying to find a balance."

Noct leaned his head back against the seat's cool leather. "I'm right here, Specs. We both are, just us, no job titles or anything getting in the way." He gave Ignis a sidelong look. "Do you still like me?"

"There's no one I love more," Ignis said, as blandly as if that was just a simple fact. Noct felt as if he'd been dipped in a volcano; his cheeks flamed, and his palms pricked with sweat, and any response he might have made dried in his throat. "Would you care to go for a drive?"

Noct managed to nod, and then had to hold himself back from clinging when Ignis gently let go of his hand to start the car.

Ignis drove with precision and effortless ease. Noct didn't ask where they were going; it didn't matter.  
For the first time in a long while he didn't need to be defensive around Ignis, or rage against his expectations. Outside, the streetlamp-lit world slid by in silence; inside, Noct was _loved_.

Ignis pulled into a small gravel lot, and Noct roused from his trancelike state to see that they were at the far end of the harbor. A narrow band of public woods rose dark before them, blocking out the view of the houses beyond, and to the side waves lapped against a pebble beach. They'd come here before, fishing with Gladio, but it was different at night.

Noct got out and started down to the beach, with Ignis following behind. Something about that grated, and Noct paused, turning, and stuck out his hand. Ignis took it, and Noct tugged him along, as if they walked like this all the time.

"I thought the stars might be clearer here," Ignis said, as they navigated the wooden steps down.

Noct looked up, and Ignis pulled him closer so he could steer and keep Noct from stumbling.

"I think they are," he said. "I'm going to look for a falling star so I can take back the wish I made earlier. Don't ever leave me, okay?"

"As if I would," Ignis said.

Noct pulled Ignis to a stop and put his arm around his waist; after a moment, Ignis returned the gesture. Noct leaned into Ignis' warmth and tipped his head back, searching for constellations familiar from the Cosmogony and any straggling points of light between them. He was aware of Ignis looking down at him, an almost unbearable scrutiny, and then the moment of release when Ignis looked up as well to the myths and legends written in light across the night sky.

Noct wondered what the stars would say about him a hundred years from now: whether he'd be known for being a good and wise King. He hoped so. He had a good Advisor, after all. The best.

A flash of light struck high to the north and slid down between Ifrit's horns. Noct made his wish, and then added another, quickly, before the meteor burned out: he asked the stars for the courage to tell Ignis he loved him back.


End file.
